6. Six

6

SIX

I tried not to let Sam’s words bug me.

We don’t need to like one another.

I was agitated, though. I knew why she didn’t like me. I was a jerk. I was always a jerk. That didn’t stop me from being bothered by what she said. No, it was more the way she’d said it. She wasn’t tortured at the idea. Little Miss Sunshine was perfectly fine not liking me.

Why does that bother you so much? I kept asking myself that for the walk back to the hotel. I didn’t have an answer, of course, but I was bothered all the same.

Jax was in the lobby when we walked in. He looked up, smiled, then did a double take. “Where’s Daisy?” he demanded. It was almost as if he thought we’d done something to her.

“She’s at Cauldron Bubble Bistro,” Sam volunteered. “Her friend Lux was … um … having a moment.”

Jax visibly relaxed.

Seriously, did he think we killed her and dumped her in a garbage can somewhere? What the hell?

“Lux is having a rough time of it right now,” Jax said. “I should’ve guessed that’s where she was.”

“Lux has been taken over by the devil,” I agreed. “I think she’s going to give birth to it.”

“She’s usually not that bad,” Jax argued. “Although … I guess she kind of is. Not that bad, though.”

“She was fine,” Sam lied.

I gave her a sidelong look. “You have a long measuring stick for ‘fine.’”

She admonished me with a dirty look. “Lux is about to create human life from nothing. She’s allowed to be grumpy.”

“I don’t really think that’s how it works,” I argued. Why I felt the need to poke her when things had gone relatively well for the bulk of the day was beyond me. I just liked it when she got fired up. It was perverse how much it … well, not turned me on, but rather made me smile.

“I’ll send you a link to a reproduction website, and you can research that for yourself.” Sam’s tone had bite, which had me grinning. I didn’t even know I could smile this wide.

“I’m looking forward to that,” I said.

Her eye roll was pronounced. “I don’t think I got a chance to tell Daisy how grateful we are for the tour,” she said to Jax. “She was great. Can you thank her for me if I don’t see her?”

“I will,” Jax promised. “You’ll see her, though. She’s here most days. We live on the top floor.”

I stirred. “You live in a hotel?” I tried to imagine what that would look like and drew a blank.

“We live in our hotel,” Jax replied. “Eventually, we’re going to get a house. Right now, taking over the suite upstairs saves us money on rent and allows us to save.”

“I bet houses here are expensive,” I mused. “Probably not as expensive as LA, but expensive all the same.”

“They are,” Jax confirmed. “Eventually, I’m going to buy Daisy her dream house. She wants something historic with a view of the water. It’s going to take me a bit.”

When I risked a glance at Sam, I found her hand pressed to the spot above her heart. “Historic houses are my favorite,” she enthused. “I bet the houses here are amazing.”

“They are,” Jax confirmed. “I’m sure Daisy will take you to an open house while you’re here if you want. She goes to at least one a week to look around. She can’t help herself. She likes to dream.”

“Me, too.” The words were gusty when Sam let them loose. “I’ve always preferred East Coast real estate to West Coast real estate. Well, at least in California. There, they have no respect for history. They basically buy the property so they can build some new obnoxious mini-mansion on top of it.”

“What’s wrong with a mini-mansion?” I demanded. I technically owned a mini-mansion. It wasn’t as grand as the houses some of my friends owned, but it wasn’t embarrassing or anything.

“There’s just no culture attached to it,” Sam replied. “Sometimes a house is just a house.”

“And sometimes it’s a home,” Jax agreed. “I can see why Daisy decided you were going to be her new bestie the second she saw you. You guys think alike.”

Pleasure tinged Sam’s cheeks. “Oh, well, that’s flattering.”

“You can’t actually be her bestie because Levi would revolt, but something tells me she’ll have you attending sunrise yoga with her moms before it’s all said and done.”

I thought I’d misheard him. “Moms? As in plural?”

Jax was a big guy, so when he gave me a dirty look, I was taken aback … and momentarily afraid for my life. “Do you have a problem with that?”

It was rare that I found myself tongue-tied. “Of course not. I’m from LA. Nobody has a problem with that in LA. I just… I…”

When I looked over at Sam, I found her shaking her head. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything.

“I think I’m going to head to the bar,” I supplied. I was over this conversation.

“Some of your castmates are in there,” Jax said. “That older one with the wandering hands is going to be in trouble if he doesn’t rein himself in. Maybe you could send that message for me.”

I didn’t have to ask who he was referring to. It was a given. Just like I had a certain reputation, so did Ed Porter. “I’ll handle it.”

Jax cocked an eyebrow. “Do you actually think he’ll listen to you? Because he’s not listening to any of the servers who have already warned him. If he doesn’t stop grabbing butts, I’m going to put my foot in his.”

Jax’s size suggested he might serve as a deterrent. “I have no idea if he’ll listen. I’ll make sure the message is sent, though. In his defense, he doesn’t actually realize he’s being a piece of crap.”

“Well, he’d better start realizing it.” Jax was having none of it. “I don’t care how important this production is to the area. I will boot his ass out of here so fast his head is going to spin.”

“I’ve got it,” I assured him. “I’ll talk to him.” With that, I cast one more look at Sam—was she laughing at me or Jax? I couldn’t tell—and took off toward the bar. Sure enough, I found Ed sitting with two of the other vampires from the show.

Dexter Montrose and I had known each other for ten years. We’d both been cast as supporting characters on a popular medical show for a season. I wouldn’t say we were close, but we didn’t dislike one another. In fact, I had a sneaking suspicion I would be spending the bulk of my nonwork time with him.

Chad Domingo was the other vampire. He was an up-and-comer and was only in his early twenties. I couldn’t get a firm read on him yet, but he laughed like a nasally weasel. That probably would be a no-go for me at some point.

Between them, Ed was holding court. He had what looked to be straight bourbon in a glass and he was talking in a voice that suggested he didn’t care who was listening. Or, to be more apt, he thought he was impressing people whether they wanted to listen or not.

“And I told that little filly that she would have to wait in line,” he said. “Just because she was younger, that didn’t mean she could skip ahead of the lady who was lined up in front of her. Do you want to know why?”

Dexter took a drink from his cocktail and didn’t respond. Chad, however, seemed enchanted by the story.

“Why?” Chad asked. He was almost breathless.

“Because here’s a little something you gents probably haven’t realized yet,” Ed said, offering me a wink when he realized I was listening to what was certainly a tall tale. “Older women know better what they’re doing and they’re not afraid to get themselves off.” He tapped the side of his head. “Why do the work when they’ll do it for you?”

I rolled my eyes until they landed on the bartender, who I recognized from the party the night before. He was rolling his eyes too.

“Hey,” I said to him as I hopped on a stool. “You’re Levi, right?”

He looked surprised that I actually knew his name. “I am.”

“I just spent the morning with Daisy,” I offered. “She has a lot of nice things to say about you.”

“I’m sure she has a lot of things to complain about too,” Levi said on a snort.

“Actually, most of the stuff she was telling us today started with ‘my friend Levi and I figured out when we were thirteen.’”

Levi chuckled. “We do have a lot of stories that start like that,” he agreed.

“I’ll have a bourbon and Coke,” I said, my eyes darting to Ed, who had launched into another tale. Chad was rapt on everything he was saying. Dexter, however, was in the midst of picking up his drink. I wasn’t surprised when he moved over a few stools to sit by me.

“Don’t you want to learn how to satisfy a woman?” I teased Dexter as he got comfortable.

“If we didn’t need that old man, I would’ve already cut out his tongue and choked him with it,” Dexter replied.

“Something tells me he’s never used it to please a woman,” I agreed.

Levi cringed as he delivered my drink. “Did you have to put that picture in my head? I’m going to have nightmares now.”

I shrugged. “I’m definitely going to have nightmares.”

Levi rested his elbows on the counter as he regarded me. “How come they sent you and Sam out on a tour and nobody else?”

It bothered me that he knew her name. “Sam?”

“She told me to call her Sam. Is that not her name?”

“It is,” I countered. “I guess I just didn’t realize that you guys were so tight.”

He narrowed his eyes, and I could practically hear the gears grinding between his ears. Then he grinned out of nowhere. “I told my boyfriend Corey all about her last night,” he volunteered, stressing the word boyfriend.

Whatever had clenched inside of me unclenched, and I had the grace to feel like a moron.

“Just talking to her for a few minutes, I knew Daisy was going to get attached to her,” he continued.

“Daisy invited her for pickle martinis tonight,” I admitted. “They’re fast friends.”

“And let me guess, Daisy doesn’t like you all that much,” Levi pressed.

“I don’t think Daisy can decide how she feels about me,” I admitted. “She keeps trying to be mean but it doesn’t stick.”

“That means she doesn’t believe you’re a lost cause,” Levi informed me. “Be grateful for that, because she can be mean if she wants to be.”

That was hardly surprising. “I met your friend Lux, too.”

Levi chuckled. “Is she still pregnant? Tell me she’s not still pregnant.”

“She’s still pregnant … and not happy about it. Daisy stayed to try to help her husband.”

“Yeah, Jesse is a saint right now,” Levi agreed. “I don’t know how he puts up with her. Lux is a handful when she’s not a million years pregnant. She’s taken it to an extreme recently, though.”

“Pregnancy is unnatural if you ask me,” Ed volunteered out of nowhere.

I slid my eyes to him. “I don’t think anybody asked you, Ed.” I had only met the man in passing once or twice before this shoot. I didn’t like him in the least…and that was before he started running his mouth.

“Honestly, there should be two types of women,” he continued, not caring in the least that he was obviously irritating me. “You should have breeders and seeders.” He smiled as if he’d said the most clever thing in the world.

Before I could tell him where he could stuff his opinion, Chad asked the absolute worst question. “What’s a seeder?”

Ed clapped Chad on the shoulder in a fatherly way. “Well, son, I’ll tell you.”

“Don’t,” I interjected. “Just … don’t.”

Ed pretended he hadn’t heard me. “Breeders are the women who should carry babies. They’re nurturing and usually have wide hips to make births easier.”

“I’m going to have to kill him,” I muttered under my breath.

“I’ll help.” Dexter didn’t look any happier than I felt about the situation.

“Seeders, however, are the women you want to keep nice and tight down there,” Ed continued. “You don’t want them to ruin the only joy they can offer by pushing a baby out of that canal. It’s never the same again. Trust me. I know.”

“Yes, don’t you have like seven kids with five different mothers?” I challenged. I wasn’t in the mood to listen to his crap. “You didn’t actually raise any of them, though, right? You just paid child support and left them behind to be raised without you.”

Ed’s eyes narrowed. He’d finally figured out that I wasn’t going to be president of his fan club. “That’s how it should be, son. Men weren’t meant to settle down. We’re supposed to be spreading our seed. That’s the way the good Lord intended.”

“I think you’ve been spreading enough crap for one day,” I replied. “While we’re on the subject, though, if you don’t stop smacking the workers on the ass, the owner of this place is going to chop your hands off.”

Ed had the gall to look wounded. “Excuse me? I don’t smack women on the ass.”

Dexter snorted into his cocktail.

As for me, I wasn’t in the mood to put up with more nonsense. “Yes, you do.” I drained half my glass before continuing. “We’ve all seen it. And listen, I get that you’re from a certain generation where that was considered okay, but it’s not okay. Keep your hands to yourself.”

Ed’s cheeks flooded with color. He was obviously embarrassed that I dared call him on the carpet. “You know what the problem with your generation is?”

“I’m sure we have a lot of problems. We don’t randomly smack women on the ass, call them ‘honey,’ and then dismiss them as if they’re trash, though.”

Levi gave me an appraising look and then reached for my glass without prompting. He refilled it without saying a word and handed it back.

“I don’t think I like your attitude,” Ed growled. “I see your reputation is earned. You just can’t get along with anybody, can you?”

“Oh, stuff it.” I downed more of my drink. “Your problem is that you think we should be in awe of your stories. We’re not though, because your stories are crap. Most of them aren’t true, and the ones that are really shouldn’t be shared with people. Those that aren’t pitying you for thinking they’re good stories are quaking in fear because you won’t keep your hands to yourself.”

Ed looked as if he might actually pick a fight with me—given my mood, I would’ve welcomed it—but instead he turned his back to me and focused on Chad. “Do you know who has a smackable ass?” he asked.

My blood was already boiling and I didn’t know why. Then he actually said it.

“That Samantha girl. She’s got an ass I’d just like to squeeze.”

I was out of my stool and in front of him, blood in my eye, before I even realized I’d made the move. “Listen to me,” I hissed, keeping my voice low so the people at the tables wouldn’t hear me. “You’re going to leave the women on this production alone.”

“Don’t you mean Samantha?” Ed taunted. “I heard they paraded you two out like show ponies to pretend you were a couple today. How is that already going to your head?”

I ignored him. “It reflects badly on all of us if you can’t just be a decent human being.” People could say the same thing about you, my annoying inner voice mused. I tamped down my frustration and forced myself to be calm. “Just don’t touch anybody but yourself, Ed. If you get kicked out of this hotel, you’re going to hold up the production. At least be a freaking professional.”

“What is it with you?” Ed complained. “You act as if I’m your daddy or something.” He scratched his cheek. “I guess it’s possible. I did get around back in the day.”

I couldn’t even be mad at him. He was just too pathetic. “Yeah, you’re nowhere near mean enough to be my father. I don’t care about your excuses either. Just stop being you and try getting consent before you touch anybody.”

Dexter chuckled. “If he waits that long, he’ll never get another woman again.”

“Right?” I nodded, laying it down like a challenge. I wanted Ed to treat it like a game. At least that way, he would try to win.

“I’ll have you know that every woman in this production is getting in line for a piece of me,” Ed fired back. “Every single one … including Samantha.”

I hated it when he said her name. It bothered me on a level I didn’t even know I was capable of feeling. “Well, if that’s the truth, you won’t mind getting consent, will you? Prove me wrong.”

Ed worked his jaw. “I’ll show you,” he said finally, turning back to his drink. “There’s still life left in this old boy. You’ll see.”

“I’m looking forward to the show.” I pounded the rest of my drink and tried to calm my racing heart. I didn’t want him saying her name again. I couldn’t fathom the reason why, though. “Let’s see how long you make it, huh? If you lose, though, I’m going to teach you a different lesson.”

“Is that a threat?” Ed demanded.

“It’s a promise. Leave the women alone. Don’t put your hands on them. For once in your miserable life, be a human being.”

You should try that yourself , my inner voice said. You might actually get somewhere if you do.

I didn’t want to listen to that voice. It was getting louder and louder. I was here to do a job. Nothing more.

What if I couldn’t follow my own edict, though? What would happen then? I didn’t want to know. Not even a little.